There must be a genuine job available with a contract of employment long enough for an apprentice to complete their apprenticeship. Employers must pay an apprentice’s wages and the role must help them gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviour they need to achieve the apprenticeship with support from the employer.

Apprenticeship is an effective and productive way to grow talent and develop a multi-talented, motivated, and skilled workforce. Following are some known facts about apprenticeships (https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/employers/benefits-of-hiring-apprentice#):

• 86% of employers have said that they were able to develop skills relevant to their organisation with the help of apprenticeships.
• 78% employers claimed that apprenticeships improved productivity in their organisations.
• 74% of employers said apprenticeship helped them to increase the quality of their product or service.

Some other benefits include:

• Adapt the training of an apprentice according to your business needs.
• Highly motivated to learn new skills and grow in your company
• Expansion and upskilling of your workforce.

The government has set-up funding bands to determine the maximum you can spend on each apprenticeship training course through your digital account and employers who do not pay the levy will pay 5% of the training cost of each apprentice they take on and remaining 95% will be paid by the government.

Example: Emma is undertaking a level 3 retail team leader apprenticeship with a non-levy employer. The government has set maximum funding bands for this apprenticeship training is £5000. The agreed training cost between employer and the training provider decided is £5000. Out of total £5000 training cost, the government will pay £4750 and the employer will pay £250.

Example: Ava is undertaking a level 3 radio network technician apprenticeship with a non-levy employer, ABC limited. The government has set maximum funding bands for this apprenticeship training is £15000. The agreed training cost between employer and the training provider decided is £15000. Out of total £15000 training cost, the government will pay £14250 and the employer will pay £750. ABC limited has used employer incentives to pay £750 which they have had received from the government for hiring an apprentice.